Electrical heating unit



April 1949- J. MALLER ELECTRICAL HEATING UNIT Filed May 15, 1948INVENTOR. MALLER JOHN I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATESATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL HEATING UNIT John Mailer, Aberdeen, Wash.Application May 13, 1948, Serial No. 26,892

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical heating units andis particularly adapted to fireplaces.

My new and improved electric heating unit is adapted to be installedwithin fireplaces, or it may be installed in homes without a fireplacebut having a recess within the wall of the building for receiving thesame.

In the case of installing my fireplace in buildings where no previousfireplace existed a trim may be placed around my unit representing afireplace, although I do not wish to be limited to any particular methodof installing the same Within the building, as the objects of myinvention may be carried out in various types of installation.

The primary object of my invention is to circulate air into and throughmy new and improved electric heating unit. This air coming in the bottomof the unit entering a preheated chamber, in which is installed an aircirculator, the air then being delivered out through this preheatedchamber into the surrounding area.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a. specialpreheating chamber which absorbs heat from an electrical heating elementafter which the heat is distributed by a forced air stream to the areasto be heated.

A still further object of my invention is the providing of an electricalheating unit that will circulate the air in the space to be heated.

Another object of my invention is the controlling of the heatingelements independently of the air circulating unit so that theseelements may be either on or off while the air is in motion.

These and other incidental objects will be ap parent in the drawings,specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of my new and improved electric heating unitinstalled within a cnventional fireplace.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 throughthe electrical heating unit, the surrounding fireplace being indicatedby broken lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan View of my new and improved electricalheating unit taken on line 33 of Figure 2, particularly illustrating thewiring, the damper control and the relative position of the variouselements.

Figure 4 is a side view of my new and improved electrical heating unit.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

My new and improved electric heating unit is indicated in general bynumeral I, installed in a fireplace 2, referring to Figure 1, the saidfireplace being indicated by broken lines in Figure 2 for convenience ofillustration.

My electric heating unit consists of a sheet metal housing or casing 3,open at its front 4 and having a trim flange 5 associated therewith.This housing consists of two parts, the forward chamber 6 and the rearchamber 1 divided by the partitions or wall 8, best illustrated inFigures 2 and 3. The lower edge of the wall 8 terminates in a sub-base 9spaced away from the bottom ll] of the unit as by the passageway ll. Thepassageway H has a grille l2 located at its forward end parallel to thefront 4 of the electric unit facing the interior of the room to beheated.

The rear end l3 of the passageway communicates with the lower part ofthe chamber 1. The chamber 7 is heated by the electric elements l4through the partition or wall 8 which transfers the heat from theelement into the heat receiving and dissipating material IS. Thematerial l5 consists preferably of sheet rock which has the ability toabsorb heat from the partition or plate 8 dissipating the same into thechamber 1.

I have provided a fan t6 for circulating air from the room to be heatedthrough the grille l2, passageway ll up through the heated chamber 1 andout the adjustable dampers l1 and the grilles l8, best illustrated inFigures 1 and 2. The dampers I l consist of cross slats I!) which aresecured to the shafts 20, which are rotatably mounted within the unit Iat 2| and 22, referring to Figure 3. These shafts are connected togetherby arms 23 and links 2 gether.

An arm 25 is secured to one of the shafts 20 and to the control rod 26.By operating the control rod 26 manually the shutters It can be openedor closed depending upon the amount of air desired to be allowed to passthrough the damper IT. The grilles I8 allow air to pass through pickingup heated air being directly radiated from the heating element I4.

I have provided an ornamental grille 21 for hiding the heat elements Mfrom view. The rear of this grille may consist of a reflecting materialso that additional heat may be reflected back through the partition orplate 8, which in turn will be absorbed by the sheet rock l4 anddissipated into the air stream within the chamber 1.

The electric motor fan unit It receives its electrical energy throughthe wiring 28 and switch controls 29 and 30 from the main supply line31. The heating element l4 also receives its electrical so that theywill work toenergy from the line 3i through the switch control box 30.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved electricheating unit adapted to be used in connection with fireplaces and thelike. In the event it is desired to heat the room the switches 29 and 39are turned on. This supplies electric energy to the heating element Id.We will assurmfrom-the switch Bil; which maybe of a type"for'various'fidegrees of heat. Wewill also assume that when this switch wasturned on the circulating fan I6 is brought into action.

The electric heating element will then heat the partition 8 transferringthe said heatinto' thesaid rock material l5 and as fresh airispulled 5,

through the grille I2 through the passageway ll up into the chamber 1 bythe electric fan" l fithis air will be heated by the heat dissipatedfrom the sheet rock material-45. This air will then be forced outthrough the damper l1 and the grilles l8 into the'room to"be 'heated.'lhere will of c'ourse be a certain amount of heat picked up from theouter edges-ofthe heating element em-t -it is one of -theobjectsof myinvention nct' tc'r pass an air"'stream through the heating elementdirectly; as by doingso'considerableheah ing effi ciency islost.

"Theprinciple" feature of* my invention "is the radiation-wot heat"fr'om the heating element is throughi'the wall? 8' and into the sheetrock= l 5,-- which then is ipi'ck'ed up by the air stream; By thisimethod' I achieve considerable efficiency" which-cannot be doneibycirculating air through the: heating :unit itself.

As stated above :the' rear of: the ornamental grille-:2] maysact asareflector directing 't'h'eheat from the" heating element more"completely through rtheirear wall '8=T ofthe* unit and into-l the sheetrock insulating; sheet 'I 5. When it is de= sired: tocirculate't'airalone theswitcln-Sil may be turned off :and the switch :29- employed tooperate the rcirculating: fan on'ly:

WhileLhaveshownmy-heating unit 'adaptedto fit into a fireplace, I do notwish to be' limited to this particular adaptation of my; invention, asmy; unit earths-installed ina portable-cabinet in which case the unititself consisting 'Tof the housinga3 and the chamber 1 'maybeinsulated-n the" outsidef-thereof' so to conserve the: heat'developedtherein. In my drawings I rhave-"not-iil lustr-ated the: same insulated;as the fireplaceit self provides a'gOOdinsulator, although thesame couldhave an insulation sheet completely: therearound. Access to thecirculating fan 16 maybehad through the door 32 communicating with thechamber- 1.

What I claim is:

1. An electric heater, comprising a casing having an open front, apartition dividing said easing into front and rear compartments the rearside of said partition having a covering of heat absorbing anddispensing material, an opening in the top of said partition forcommunication between said compartments, an electric heating elementinsaid front compartment adjacent said partition for'radiating heat tosaidpitrtition, and means in said rear compartment for directing airupwardly along said partition to be heated and pass outwardly throughthe opening in said partition into said front compartment and outthrough the open front thereof.

2. A heater as defined in claim 1, wherein a reflecting screen ispositioned in front of said heating element to reflect heat back to saidpartition.

3. A heater as defined in claim 2, wherein a horizontal partitionseparatessaid'front compartment from the bottom of said casing to form"a passageway from the front of said'casingto the rear compartmentfor-supplying fair thereto.

4. A heater as defined in claim'3, wherein said" casing is formed to fitin a fireplace 'an'd h'asai laterally extending flange at the sides and"top for overlying the front wall of "the' fireplace.

5. A heater as defined in-claim 4, wherein said vertical partition hasopenings in 'the'side portions thereof to pass air outwardly fromsaidrear'co'mpartment-past the sides 'of the heating "element.

6. A heater as defined in claim" 5, wherein" dampers are rotatablysupported at said vertical partition to control the top "opening" andhave levers connected thereto, and a controlrod'" is connected to saidlevers and extends through'said flange on one side of said-casing'fortheselective controlof said dampers.

'7. A heater asdefinedin claim 6; wherein said rear compartment airdirecting means comprises an electrically driven fan, and switches aremounted in said flange onone 'side 'o'f said casing for controlling'saidfan and said heating "element respectively. V

JOHN" REFERENCES The following. references 1 are of record in the 7 fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS"

